Tolkien: Making Middle-Earth (elective)

Class Description:  Who was the mind behind all the beloved heroes and abhorred villains of Middle-earth? What other tales did J.R.R. Tolkien craft to bring us to the events of the Third Age, which are marvelously told in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings? This course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of and appreciation for Tolkien’s life and his development of Middle-earth. It will help students analyze a text and develop lateral thinking between works through the intricate network of stories Tolkien wove for his world-building of Middle-earth. Course Objectives:  At the end of this course, the student will be able to... Identify key moments in Tolkien’s life Trace the “chronology” of the stories within and related to The Silmarillion Articulate theological concepts present within Tolkien’s works Deliver a presentation on one of the lesser-known works read during the course Write an Encomium on one of the characters from the First Age Develop